Bittersweet Rivalry
by GrimGrave
Summary: Part of the "Bittersweet" series. Asuka wants to be friend with Homura, but something as simple as friendship is not always possible. Rated M for blood and adult hints, possibly.


**Disclaimer: all characters belong to** _ **Tamsoft**_ **and** _ **Marvelous Entertainment**_ **respectively. GrimGrave makes no money out of writing fiction.**

 _ **Bittersweet Rivalry**_

The inside of a Shinobi Barrier differs from user to user; to some it's the same area where they first used it, devoir of people while others alter it to a field, forest, or even a surreal realm.

Right now the two girls were fighting in a forest, near a clear river. While it would have looked pretty under normal circumstances, the crimson hue inside the barrier gave off the vibe of the two of them fighting inside a nightmare.

Steel blades – dual Wakizashi's against hexa Katana's – clashed with enough force to scatter sparks. The girls ran, circling one another, before they leapt at each other yet again. Neither had the advantage and neither refused to yield. Emerald eyes glared into hazel ones and the katana-wielder let out a battle-cry as she rushed forward to strike only for het attack to be parried.

Her opponent let out a shout as well and forced the katana-wielder back before pressing her attack but none of her strikes connected.

The girls jumped back and caught their breaths. The cool breeze that swept by did nothing to cool their flushed faces and their hearts beat rapidly inside their chests. Blood loudly pumped in their ears.

 _ **/././././**_

"I don't want to fight you!" Asuka cried out. This had to come to an end; their fighting was senseless and no matter the gashes and bruises she endured, the wound that hurt her most was the one of the heart. "Please, Homura-chan! Let's just stop this!"

The other girl stared her down. "We can't just ´stop this´, Asuka. It's too late to change anything."

The granddaughter of Hanzo fumed. "It's never too late! You're not with Hebijō anymore, so there's no reason for us to fight!"

Homura shook her head. "How naïve you are… Do you truly believe that we can just lay down our weapons and everything will be well, that we can live happily ever after?" She raised her blades – brandished like a beast's claws – at Asuka. "This isn't a fairy-tale, Asuka. If you keep thinking like that, you won't ever win."

"You are independent, Homura-chan! I'm not telling you to join Hanzo Academy, but we there is no reason for us to battle!"

"Of course there is!" the pigtailed girl replied, anger clear in her voice. "You're the granddaughter of the famous shinobi, Hanzo! Why wouldn't I fight you?"

Tears threatened to spill forth but Asuka willed herself to not cry. **That** was her reason; to fight for the sake of fighting?

"That can't be true…" Her voice was shaky and her heart went sporadic. "We always end up fighting… hurting each other… all because you simply _want_ to?" Tears ran freely down her cheeks as she screamed, "IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU WANT, HOMURA?!"

There had to be more – something that forced the former Hebijō-student to fight. Or maybe the hope in Asuka's heart, she feared, was indeed naivety.

"ANSWER ME, HOMURA!"

 _I just want us to be friends… Is that really impossible?_

Didn't Homura want the same thing, deep down? When they had first, Asuka had felt this bond – a connection – when they spent the day together. They had fun, they laughed, they talked… Their Shinobi factions had been a barrier for their possible friendship but now that Homura wasn't with Hebijō anymore…

There had to be a way.

"IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT, HOMURA?!"

 _ **/././././**_

Homura simply eyed her rival, taken aback; Asuka had completely ignored the suffix this time as she lashed out. It was entertaining, still, if only a little upsetting. Hanzo's grandchild looked like she was ready to burst with her flushed face and the crying.

In her mind, she knew that they didn't _need_ to battle each other. They didn't _need_ to be enemies. But Asuka belonged to the Light Faction, and she was a former-student of the Dark Faction, now a renegade ninja without a fixed abode or loyalty. If anyone of the Light Faction saw the two of them together, it could cost Asuka her home, friends, and dreams; much like how Homura's parents had disowned her.

That feeling of abandonment and the pain that followed was something she didn't wish upon anyone, not even her rival. That's just how things were.

"It doesn't matter what I want. We are enemies - there's no changing that," she finally said and sighed. "That's just how things are."

"So, Homura-chan... what _DO_ you want?" the other girl asked.

"...What's the point of telling you, thus raising hope, when nothing will change?" She closed her eyes and shook her head again. "It is just not meant to be, Asuka." Without warning, she dashed forward, the tips of her blades on her left hand cutting into milky-white skin; the Hanzo-student's left arm, her side, and left cheek spilled crimson upon the ground.

Homura glanced back and watched her opponent stagger. "Your movements and reflexes have become sluggish and dull, Asuka."

"I won't fight you until you tell me!" Asuka exclaimed. "If nothing will change then why not tell me?!"

 _´This girl…´_ Homura's expression became somber. "If I tell you, I will only renew that falso hope you're clinging onto. I need you to wake up from your daydream and face reality; there is no future for the two of us, friends or…otherwise."

She saw her rival's eyes widening and she glared. She had said too much; she needed to let the girl know that her hope was futile.

"Wake up already, grandchild of Hanzo!" Homura yelled as she leapt at the girl. The wind howled in her wake as swords cut through the air and slashed at her rival.

If Asuka didn't move, she'd be cut to ribbons.

 _ **/././././**_

The Shinobi Barrier was removed, revealing the school courtyard of Hanzo Academy. It was night and the full moon was up. The wind was cold and a lone figure shuddered as she rubbed her naked arms in the middle of the courtyard.

Her twin Wakizashi's lay on the ground next to her, bloody and shimmering in the moonlight. They were stained with the katana-wielder's life-force as a result of a half-successful parrying and counterattack by stabbing the renegade shinobi in her midsection, forcing her to retreat.

 _´It's just the way things are´_ the other girl had told her.

Asuka swallowed the lump in her throat she hadn't even noticed she was holding. She wiped away the tears in vain and picked up her weapons. She stood up, her head hanging low as she headed towards the academy.

"It's just the way things are…" she repeated and left the scene.


End file.
